Front-strike type-writing machine.



, R. FOX.

FRONT sTRlKE TYPEwRmNG MACHlNE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 29,1913.

@Dvi/hueso@ WILLAll/L R. FOX, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN'.

FRONT-STRIKE TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 1917.

.Application filed December 29, 1913. Serial No. $09,165.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. Fox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, county oi Kent, and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in liront-Strike Type- Writing Machines, or which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in front strike typewriting machines.

The objects of this invention are: First, to improve the key action and lever connections of front strike typewriting machines. Second, to provide an improved combination whereby the work done by the key and key lever is so distributed that the action of the escapement is made very easy and so that the escapement mechanism is actuated when the type is at a minimum distance from the printing point. Third, to distribute the load on the key lever so that the best effect and stroke can be given to the type bar. Fourth, to separate the ribbon shift means from the escapement means so that the action of the escapement shall be easy and also so that the ribbon shift will be actuated' to move the ribbon to the printing position by the full force of the initial stroke upon the key.

Further objects, and objects relating to details and economies of construction and operation will definitely appear from t ie de tailed description to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the mechanism described in the following specification.

The invention is clearly ed out in the claims.

A structure embodying the parts of a front strike typewriter included and involved in my invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing- 'forming a part of thisl specification, in which- Figure l is a detail longitudinal view partly in section and partly in elevation through the central part of a typewriter showing the key lever and connections, unidefined and pointversal escapement bar and ribbon shift connection with asingle key lever and type bar and connections in position, the shifting type bar segment being shown in lower case position. Fig. ll is a similar view of the escapement actuating mechanism and its -connections with the key lever, the shifting type bar segment being shown in upper case position. Fig. lll is a perspective view of the trip pin.

In the drawing' similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Considering the numbered parts of the drawing, l is a key lever provided at its forward end with a button 2, and suitably fulcrumed in the frame as at 3. This key lever is connected with the type bar by means of the rock lever 4 which is engaged by a loop 5 carried on the key lever 1. Rock lever 4 is suitably fulcrumed on a rod 6 carried by the frame. The forward end of the rock lever 4 is engaged by the loop 5 and the top of said loop is upwardly curved in the direction of the fulcrum of said rock lever so that as the key lever is depressed the point at which the loop engages the rock lever approaches the fulcru the leverage. This is the form of loop connection shown in my co-pending application, Ser. No. 523,240, filed ct. 18, 1909. The upper end of the rk lever et is connected by means of a coupling 7 with the type bar actuating lever 9. The coupling 7 is pivoted to the upper end of the rock lever at 8 and to the lever 9 atA 10. The lever 9 carries a pin 15 which is ulcrumedA in a suitable notch in the lower end of the shifting type bar segment 13.

1l is a type bar which is notch 14 fulcrumed on a by the shifting type segment, thus pivoting said type bar to said type bar support. |The rear end of said type bar carries a slot in which the pin l2 on the upper end of the lever 9 engages. The type bar l1 is provided with a trip shoulder 1l near the fulcruin 14, said trip 4shoulder serving to actuate the escapement mechanism.

16 is the platen roll. A bracket 17 is secured to the upper part of the type bar seg nic-nt and provided 'with rearwardly pro- Liecting arms to the rear ends of which the links 19 are pivotcd as at 1S. The su'pporting bar 22 is provided with brackets 21 on its rear end and said brackets are secured to links 19 by means orP the pivots 20. rlhe forward end of said supporting bar carries a guide lug 23 engaging in a suitable slot provided with a suitable pin carried in the bracket 24 secured to the shifting type bar segment. The universal bar 26 is secured to said supporting bar 22 by means of lugs 25, and said universal bar 1s supported 6, thus decreasing der 11 on the type bar when said bar is raised to printing position. On the rear end of said supporting bar is provided the lug 27 which carries the push pin 29, the position of which in said lug is regulated-by means of the screw 28. rEhe end of said push pin 29 is adapted to engage the enlarged head 30 on the slidably mounted trip pin 31. The

end of said trip pin engages escapement dog mechanism 32 pivoted at 33 which operates the escapement mechanism 34. As a consequence of the enlarged head 30 on said trip pin, the universal escapement bar and the push pin 29 carried thereby, will actuate said trip pin no matter whether the type bar segment is in upper case or lower case position. The universal escapement bar and the connections between said bar and the escapement mechanism are the same as are shown in my companion application, Ser. No. 809,164 filed December 29, 1913.

For operating the ribbon shift mechanism, I provide the rock lever 35 which is suitably fulcrumed on a rod 37'carried by the frame and the rear end of said rock lever is engaged by loop 36 carried by the key lever 1. The top ofsaid loop 36 is upwardly curved toward the fulcrum of said r'ock lever so that the point of engagement with said rock lever approaches the fulcrum' 37 as the key lever is depressed, thus decreasing the leverage. The upper end 38 of said key lever is adapted to engage the-ribbon shift mechanism to actuate the same. For the ribbon shift a universal bar 39 is provided, the same bein so disposed that the upper end of the roc( lever 35 will strike against the same to secure its operation, as indicated in Fig. I of the drawing. This universal bar is provided with a rearwardly projecting varm 40 at either lside thereof carrying pivots 41 on which are pivoted the tops of arms 42 which are connected to rocking bar 44 at their lower ends. This rocking bar 44 is supported on pivots 43 which are carried by the main frame. It will thus be seen that any rearward movement of the universal bar 39 will cause the rocking bar to oscillate. Projecting rearwardly on the rocking bar 44 are arms provided with the slots 45 eX- tending from the front to the rear thereof, the forward ends of said slots being irl-line with the pivots`43. The ribbon shifting means is operated by the'rocking of this arm which acts through the link 46 provided with a pin 47 engaging in the slot 45 at its lower end, and connected by ivot 48 at its upper end to the ribbon shifting lever 49, which is fulcrumedv at 50 and is connected by the pivot 52 to the oscillating ribbon guide `51. The lower end of the link 46 is secured by a suitable connection to a key on the keyboard whereby its position is shifted in the slot 45, thereby regulating the Ithrow of the ribbon mechanism, which is desirable for using different parts of the ribbon or to shift a party colored ribbon, and by moving the pivot 47 to the extreme' forward end of the slot 45 all movement of the ribbon oscil- -lator is suppressed, which is desirable in By thus separating the same, the action of the escapement being very light, I am able to secure very prompt actuation of the es,- capement by the typebar itself at the end of the stroke. At the same time, owing to the fact that the ribbon mechanism is controlled independently, the ribbon can be moved very promptly to position at the first depression of the key, so the very highest speed of the typewriter will be attainable, because the ribbon is in position to print whenever needed and the escapement 'occurs at substantially the instant of printing. By means of this escapement mechanism I am able to se cure the actuation of said escapement meeh anism practically simultaneously with the depression of the type on the platen'roll. This is highly desirable to secure a clean cut print and high speed. Furthermore, by means of the upwardly curved loops connecting the key lever with the rock levers, I secure the maximum leverage when it is needed at the beginning of the stroke.

I desire to claim the mechanism by which I have accomplished this result specifically, and also desire to claim the invention broadly ,as indicated in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a key action for typewriting machines, the combination of a ke lever, a rock lever, a loop secured to said rey lever and having an upwardly curved top, the rear end of said rock lever being disposed within said loop in engagement with the top thereof, a. universal bar adapted to be acted 'upon by the rock lever, connections therefrom to the ribbon oscillating mechanism, a shiftable type bar segment, a type bar with a trip contact in close proximity to the pivot thereof, a slot in the rear end of said type bar, a type bar actuating lever pivoted in said type bar segment and' having a pin on its upper end engaging in said slot, a second rock lever, a second loop on said lever, said loop having an upwardly curved top, the forward end of said rock lever being disposed within said loop in engagement with the top thereof, a coupling between the upper end of said rock lever and said type baractuating lever, a universal escapement bar disposed to be acted upon by the said trip contact of the type bar when it is near the printing position, a parallel` movement support for said universal bar on the said type bar segment, a push pin carried thereby, an escapement mechanism, and a sliding trip pin for the escapement mechanism carried on the frame and having a broad head to insure contact of the push pin therewith at all positions of the type bar segment, all coacting substantially as described for the purpose specified.

2. In the key action of a typewriting machine, the combination of a key lever, a rock lever operatively connected therewith, a universal bar to be acted upon by said rock lever, .connections therefrom to the ribbon oscillating mechanism, a shiftable type bar segment, a type bar having a trip contact in close proximity to the pivot thereof, a-sec ond rock lever operatively connected with said key lever, a slot in the rear lend of said type bar, a type bar actuating lever fulcrumed in said type bar segment, and connected with the upper end of said rock lever, a universal escapement bar disposed to be acted upon by said trip contact on the type bar when it is near the printing position, a parallel movement support for said universal bar on the said type bar segment, a push pin carried thereby, an escapement mechanism and a sliding trip pin for the escapement mechanism carried on the frame and having a broad head to insure contact of the push pintherewith at all positions of the type bar segment, all coacting substantially as described for the purpose specified.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a key lever, a rock lever, a loop carried by said key lever, the top of said loop being upwardly curved to afford a variable leverage, the rear end of said rock lever being disposed within said loop in' en gagcment with the top thereof, a universal bar to be actuated by `said rock lever, connections therefrom to the ribbon oscillating mechanism, a shiftable type bar segment, a type bar with a trip contact in proximity to the pivot thereof, a universal escapement bar carried by said segment disposed to be acted upon by said shoulder contact on the type bar when it is near the printing point, escapement operating means actuated by said universal bar, a loop on said key lever, the to) of said loo) being" upwardly curved to afford a variab e leverage, a rock lever having its forward end disposed in said loop, and means connecting said rock lever lwith the type bar for operating the samc, all coacting substantially as described for the purpose specified.

4. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a key lever, a rock lever, a universal bar to be operated by said rock lever, means connecting said rock lever to said key lever, connections from said universal bar to the ribbon oscillating mechanism, a shiftable type ba=r segment, a type bar with a trip contact in proximity to the pivot thereof, a second rock lever, means connectingsaid rock lever with the key lever, means operatively connecting said rock lever with the type bar, a universal escapement bar carried by said segment and disposed to be acted upon by said contact on the type bar when it is near the printing position, an escapement mechanism, and operating means therefor actuated by said universal bar, all coacting substantially as described for the purpose specified.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a key lever, a shiftable type bar segment, a type bar with a trip contact in close proximity to the pivot thereof, a slot in the rear end of said type bar, a type bar actuating lever pivoted in said segment and having a pin on its upper end engaging in ,said slot, a rock lever, a loop on said key lever, said loop having an upwardly curved top, the forward end of said rock lever being disposed within said loop in engagement with the top thereof, a coupling between the upper end of said rock lever and said type bar actua-ting' lever, a universal escapement bar disposed to be acted upon by the said trip contact of the type bar when it is near the printing position, a parallel movement support for said universal bar on the said type bar segment, a push pin carried thereby, an escapement mechanism, and a sliding trip pin for the escapement mechanism carried on the frame and having a broad head to insure contact of the push pin therewith at all positions of the type bar segment, all coacting substantially as described for the purposespeciiied.

6. In a typcwriting machine, the combination of a key lever, a shiftable type bar segment, a type bar having a trip contact in close proximity to the pivot thereof, a rock lever operatively connected with said "key lever, a slot in the rear end of said type bar, a type bar actuating lever fulcrumed in said type bar segment and connected with the upper end of said rock lever, a universal escapement bar disposed to be acted upon by said trip contact on the type bar when it is near the printing position, a parallel movement support for said universal bar on the said type bar segment, a push pin carried thereby, an escapement mechanism and a sliding trip pin for the escapement mechaff nism carried on the frame and having a broad head to insure contact of thc push pin therewith .at all positions of the type bar segment, all coacting substantially as dc.- scribed for the purpose specified.

disposed to be acted upon by said contact.

on the type bar When it is near the printing point, escapement operating means actuated by said universal bar, a loop on said key lever, the'top of said loop being upwardly curved to aii'ord a variable leverage, a rock lever having its forward end disposed in said loop and means connecting said rock lever with. the type bar for operating the same,all coacting substantially as described for the purpose specified. a

8. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a key levera rock lever, a shiftable type bar segment, a type bar, a universal escapement bar carried by said segment and disposed to be acted upon by said type bar when it is at or near the printing point, escapement operating means actuated by said universal bar, a type bar actuating lever pivoted in said type bar segment with the upper end operatively connected to actuate said type bar, a horizontally disposed link connecting the upper end of said.A rock lever to said vtype bar actuating lever, all coacting'substantially as described for the purpose specified.

9. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a key lever, a shiftable type bar segment, a type bar pivoted thereon, a universa'l escapement bar carried by said segment and -disposed to be acted upon by said type bar When it is at or near the printing point, escapement operating means actuated by said universal bar, a type bar actuating lever pivoted in said type bar segment With the upper end operatively connected to actuate said type bar, and operative connections from said key lever to said type bar actuating leverv comprising a rock lever and a horizontally disposed link connecting the upper end of said rock lever With said type bar actuating lever, all co-acting substantially for the purpose specified.

l0. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a vkey lever, a shiftable type bar segment, a type b'ar pivoted thereon, a universal escapement bar carried by said segment and disposed to be acted upon by said type bar when it is at or near the-printing point, escapement operating means actuated by said universal bar, a type bar actuating lever pivoted in said type bar segment with the upper end operatively connected to actuate said type bar, and operative connections from said k'ey lever to said type bar actuating lever, all coacting sub-- stantially for vthe purpose specified.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

` WILLiAM nirox. [La] 

